The Preston boss pits his wits against the long-serving Gunners chief today when the Championship club host the Premier League big boys at Deepdale.

Grayson has faced Wenger when he was manager of Leeds and their last meeting saw Thierry Henry come off the bench to get the winner in 2012.

That night Grayson and his coaching staff spent 20 minutes picking the brains of the Frenchman and he plans to do the same today whatever the result.

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But despite Grayson being keen to learn from Wenger, the North End chief fears foreign owners wanting foreign managers is hurting British bosses - unless they take a team up like Burnley boss Sean Dyche.

The former Blackpool, Leeds and Huddersfield boss said: “Of course managing in the Premier League has been my ambition since I started off in my career.

“It is taken away from you more now in terms of people seem to employ a lot more foreigners in the Premier League.

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Arsene Wenger has won the FA Cup six times as Arsenal manager

“The only real reason and chance you get to manage in the Premier League is if you take a team up from the Championship.

“That is a real sad indictment of Championship managers. It is no fault of their own. It is just foreign owners who want bigger names.

“Maybe that will change and people will start seeing sense that the foreign way isn’t always the best way.”

Grayson has brought Preston up from League One and is looking to consolidate their position in the Championship on a shoe-string budget.

“Of course managing in the Premier League has been my ambition since I started off in my career.”

Preston gaffer Simon Grayson opens up

They rely on what the Yorkshireman calls “cast offs” from clubs above them who he moulds them into a team that can compete.

“We are debt free which is very rare in football,” said Grayson, who has turned down a number of offers to join bigger clubs in the division.

“If we do get to the Premier League one day then it won’t be by throwing money at it. That is one thing we won’t do.”